CONCORD – At 7:30 p.m. on April 21, join members of Concord Community Music School’s Music School’s jazz, folk, and South Asian classical music faculty for “Common Ground: Weaving Nepali & American Musical Traditions.” This virtual program of compositions and improvisations, sponsored by the Walker Lecture Series in partnership with the Music School, reflects the five artists’ musical traditions and their adventuresome spirit.

The Bach’s Lunch concert, recorded in May 2019, features Harimaya Adhikari, vocals & harmonium; Prem Sagar Khatiwada, tabla; Scott Kiefner, bass; Matt Langley, saxophone; and David Surette, guitar & mandolin. Enjoy a Herbie Hancock jazz tune with Hari scat-singing a solo; an Irish jig with Prem on tabla; and an Indian raga with Scott, Matt, and David improvising in that style. In this 2021 version, the performers will also speak briefly about what they learned in this collaboration of improvising within each other’s musical traditions.

A true picture of the Music School’s tagline, “a home for musical friendships,” longtime CCMS folk music coordinator David Surette became intrigued with the idea of a musical partnership between folk, jazz, and Nepali faculty members. He began improvising with Hari and Prem at their home in 2018, a tradition that included delicious Asian dinners. The Bach’s Lunch concert on which this virtual presentation is based was an outgrowth of that musical bond.

To access the concert, sign up for the Walker Lecture Series e-mail list. You will receive a Zoom link to the concert when it is released on April 21, and to the other presentations in the spring series. Thanks to The Timothy and Abigail B. Walker Lecture Fund for their sponsorship.

For more information, visit www.ccmusicschool.org.

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